Phenotypic and functional correlations in circulating lymphocytes of prodromal homosexuals and patients with AIDS

Findings of selected phenotypic and functional parameters demonstrated significant aberrations in both prodromal homosexual males and patients with AIDS. An impaired blastogenic response to T-cell dependent B-cell mitogen was associated with a significant decrease in percentage of helper T cells but appeared unrelated to the percentage of suppressor T cells. The functional subsets of the latter were further defined by a panel of monoclonal antibodies (Leu8, Leu15, and HLA-DR) applying dual color flow cytometric techniques. In both homosexuals at risk and in AIDS patients, activated suppressor cells with the phenotype Leu2+Leu15+ and Leu2+HLA-DR+ were elevated while the reciprocal cytotoxic Ts cells (Leu2+Leu15- and Leu2+HLA-DR-) were depressed. Both subsets of suppressor precursor cells and effector cells (Leu2+Leu8+ and Leu2+Leu8-) were elevated particularly in high risk homosexual males. These results suggest a defective feedback loop that regulate both helper and suppressor T cells as well as B-lymphocyte functions and may explain the clinical manifestation of AIDS.